Figures released by Thames Valley Police this morning show 323 sex offenders are living in the community.

This time last year the number of registered sex offenders was 306.

All violent and sex offenders are monitored by Multi-Agency Public Protection Agency (MAPPA).

The number of violent offenders in Thames Valley Police region between April 2006 and March 2007 stood at 980, the figures released today reveal.

The total number of violent and sexual offenders in Thames Valley covered by MAPPA is 1,962.

In Oxfordshire the number of sex offenders equates to 46 per 100,000 people.

The national average is 57 per 100,000.

The Thames Valley area has fifth lowest number of Registered Sex Offenders in England and Wales per 100,000 people.

There are 379 registered sex offenders living in Berkshire and 280 in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

The monitoring of offenders is done in partnership with other agencies, including Primary Care Trusts, the Youth Offending Service, mental health, local authority housing and social services.

Paul Gillbard, Director of Offender Management for Thames Valley Probation, said: "We have worked hard to revise our local MAPPA procedures in line with the expectations from central government.

"In the Thames Valley, we feel confident that we have a workable system which should provide the local community with confidence that sex offenders and potentially dangerous persons are being managed properly and safely.

"The fact is, however, that such persons always have been and will continue to be released into the community.

"Recent changes in the law and working practices of all the agencies involved in MAPPA now mean that such people are monitored far more closely than in the past."

Det Ch Insp Tim Price, Public Protection Officer, said: "The annual report demonstrates the success of MAPPA locally.

"Robust and comprehensive multi agency public protection plans have provided safety and reassurance to past and potential victims as well as the general public.

"By successfully identifying offenders, sharing information with other key agencies and working closely together on public protection plans, dangerous offenders are well monitored and risks to the public are minimised."

The latest figures from the Ministry of Justice in March 2007 showed nationally 12.3 per cent of sexual offenders against children reoffend. Meanwhile, 26.8 per cent of all sexual offenders reoffend.